


The Golden Trio

by moonfairy13



Series: Fremione and the Weasleys [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fred Weasley Lives, Friendship, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-26
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-06-16 16:39:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15441276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonfairy13/pseuds/moonfairy13
Summary: Hermione, Ron and Harry have a heart-to-heart about her imminent marriage to Fred.





	The Golden Trio

Hermione realised that she was destined not to have quite such a peaceful time in The Burrow’s garden as Molly had promised when a tall shadow loomed over her quilt within two minutes of her sitting down again. Briefly, she fantasised about going back to the shed and joining Bill and Arthur for an afternoon nap, but she had suspected for several hours that this particular conversation needed to happen before she and Fred got married the next day.

“Why Fred?” The owner of the voice knelt beside her.

Hermione sighed. “I don’t know how much you want to hear, Ron, but it’s been Fred for ages.” She decided not to bother picking up her sewing for now and instead lay down on her back on the patchwork quilt, knees bent and arms resting by her side.

“Since long before we kissed, by the sound of it.”

Hermione let a beat or two pass before she nodded and then, in a small voice, said, “I’m sorry, Ron. I thought we had talked about that. It was the tension of the battle and what you said about the elves and I wasn’t really thinking straight. We tried dating, and you know it just didn’t feel right, for either of us. You’re my brother, and I love you. But not like that.”

“It’s OK,” Ron reached over and patted her hand. “It’s just that … sometimes I feel like I’m supposed to fight to be with you even though I don’t think either of us would be happy if we were.”

“I know what you mean. But no amount of expectation could make up for the fact that we’d probably drive each other crazy.”

He snorted. “Too bloody right. But Fred though?” There was the tiniest hint of a whine in his voice.

“Who would you have chosen for me?” Hermione sat up a bit as she awaited Ron’s answer. For herself, she couldn’t have been more certain that Fred was the right wizard for her. Even as she watched him and George running gleefully around the perimeter of the garden with boxes of fireworks and magical fairy lights, she felt a dancing excitement in her stomach that she had never felt with another man. But she was interested to know what Ron, and also Harry, who was fast approaching from behind him, had to say about her choice. 

“Is this just out of the Weasley men, or do we have the whole of the wizarding world to pick from?” 

“Crikey, Harry, you do know how to startle a bloke!” Ron hadn’t realised that Harry was so close.

“Sorry, Ron.” Harry didn’t look very sorry as he arranged himself on the remaining part of the quilt. He lifted Hermione’s legs to create more space and put her feet back down in his lap before leaning back and gazing up into the leaves of the apple tree.

“I suppose it just all feels a bit real. And soon,” said Ron. 

“Tell me about it...” Hermione’s voice was calm, but both wizards turned to check her face. They knew from long experience that she wasn’t always the best at getting her own needs met, and both had wanted to check in with her to make sure she was truly OK with the decision she had made as well as the speed with which everything was happening. Not that they could have put that desire into words.

Catching them watching her, she smiled. “I really am OK, guys. It’s lovely of you all to be so worried, but I'm OK. Bit excited, to tell the truth.”

Harry took Hermione’s hand in his. “I like Fred. A lot. People can say what they like about him and George, but they have always been there for me and for their family. I can’t pretend I saw it coming, though I know Ginny did. But now that it’s happened, I’m not that surprised.”

“Oliver, maybe?” It often took Ron a while to catch up with the conversation.

“He would have driven me nuts with the Quidditch talk, Ron,” Hermione laughed. “Yes, of course the Scottish accent is sexy as hell, but that’d hardly make up for not having much in common.”

“What do you and Fred have in common though?”

Hermione looked across at Ron, trying to work out if he was being obtuse or was genuinely concerned. Unable to decide, she replied, “Lots, if you think about it. We’re both very family orientated, we both love charms and potions and puzzles and we both work hard to get what we want. We’re both creative and ambitious, albeit maybe in different ways, and I can’t remember a single time when we’ve ever run out of things to talk about. Even if the conversation is sometimes a bit unconventional.”

“You’ll be living with George as well, you know! He hates being alone, so when Angelina’s playing away, he moves back in with Fred, did you know? Even sleeps in the flat still!”

“I’m OK with that, Ron." Her voice was patient, and Harry wondered how she was feeling inside. "I grew up as an only child; I love the idea of a big family. As far as I'm concerned, George can keep his room if we live in the flat and I’ll welcome him as often as he wants to come. I hope you two and Ginny and Luna will visit lots as well. I don’t plan on only being a full-time homemaker like your mum, but I do plan on us always having plenty of food and butterbeer and a warm welcome for anyone who turns up.”

Ron paused. He did rather like the idea of another place to go for dinners and family gatherings. But he hadn’t quite exhausted his need to check that Hermione was certain about her decision. “They’ll drive you nuts with product testing!”

“Yes, that’s a distinct possibility, but relationships are about communication, and it’s not like I’ll be afraid to set boundaries, is it?”

“That’s a good point, Ron, you have to admit.” Harry had decided it was time to help.

“Yeah, thanks Harry.”

Hermione rolled over onto her side, cupping her face in her hand and reaching out for Ron’s shoulder. “What’s really going on for you, Ron? Because if you have a real concern, please tell me. I’m crazy about your brother, and I get butterflies in my tummy every time I think about our date tonight, but if there’s something I should know then I wish you’d just come out and say it.”

Ron shrugged and shook his head. “There isn’t, really. That’s the thing.”

Hermione looked at Harry, who pulled a face and shook his head. He didn’t know where Ron was coming from either. This happened a lot. Although Ron was so much more mature these days, he still sometimes found it hard to identify and own his emotions, let alone control them.

They followed Ron’s gaze as he watched George, who was now halfway up a tree, stringing more fairy lights with his wand. Fred remained on the ground – for now – directing his brother. Now and again he would glance over at Hermione and smile widely, as if he still couldn’t believe his luck.

“I thought we’d lost him,” Ron said, very quietly. “In the battle. When … the coma … he … Godric, I spent most of my childhood wishing he would just piss off and leave me alone and then, when I thought he might actually leave us, I was just so…” He broke off, lost for words. 

Harry and Hermione held the space til he was ready to continue.

“And then he was back … and I had all these FEELINGS,” he almost spat the word out, “and I didn’t know what to do with them and then before I figure that out suddenly PERCY is here for breakfast going on about a marriage law and the next minute Fred’s on his knees and you’re going to bloody MARRY him. And the truth … I think … I think the truth is that I’m so bloody happy because you two are bloody PERFECT together, but it all comes out wrong every single time and I end up questioning you and all I really want to say is I’m so happy for the both of you because I think you’ll be bloody brilliant together.”

Before he had even finished, Hermione had launched herself towards him, wrapping her arms around his chest.

“Hey, steady on, ‘Mione!” Ron’s voice was gruff with the effort of not showing more emotion than he already had. But he kept his face buried in Hermione’s shoulder for several minutes, while she stroked his back and whispered reassuring noises into his ear.

“I was terrified that we were going to lose him too. I have loved him for years, though I never thought he would ever feel the same way. He was so bright, and full of fun and life. And for those days after the battle all I wanted was for him to live, and I can’t believe we’re here either, but this is what we fought for and I am going to love him every single day for the rest of my life, even if he does drive me crazy turning my hair all colours.”

Ron was nodding, and he sniffed a little. Hermione pretended not to hear and resisted the urge to pass him a hanky.

“I think hair colours are probably the least of your worries.” Harry was watching the other end of the garden, where one of the boxes of fireworks had accidentally gone off. A small Catherine wheel was dancing around Charlie, who was yelling and laughing as Fred and George tried to control their own laughter long enough to raise their wands and get it back under control. Fleur and Ginny were just shaking their heads, but Harry noticed that both of their wands were raised against the possibility that the boys or their fireworks came close enough to their work on the wedding tent and rose-covered arch to do any damage.

Hermione turned to watch as well, giving Ron a chance to wipe his nose inelegantly on his sleeve. She reached for his other hand, though, and gave it a squeeze. “You know this is kind of his stag party?” she asked the boys.

“Huh?”

“Well we’re going on our first date this evening, and George pointed out that he doesn’t have time for a stag party so he marched him off to play with fireworks instead. Not that I want to get rid of you,” she felt slightly guilty saying this because she did really want a few minutes of peace and sewing, “but why don’t you go and get a few beers from George’s bar and hang out with them for a bit before Fred and I go out?”

“That,” Harry dropped a kiss on Hermione’s head as he got up, “sounds like an excellent way of letting Fred know how much Ron loves him without having to say any mushy stuff.”

“Yeah, thanks Hermione,” said Ron. “I’m glad you finally came out and said how you felt.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for all the positive comments; so glad people are enjoying this. And yes, I'm carrying on with it :-)


End file.
